My lessons from running "obama_2008"

[tri_blog]

To abomvubuso:

Hæ! Thank you kindly for the invitation to join your political community, talk_politics, but I don't want to spend much time on LiveJournal any more. You, your wife airiefairie, and your home of Cape Town, S. Africa all look delightful and fascinating! One of my friends from college was a girl from Durban, S. Africa. I also performed the South African national

Comments

[abomvubuso]

I understand. And i wasnt speaking of all mods, just a specific type of mods.

Stay cool and have fun! ^__^

Takk Fyrir!

[tri_blog]

Takk fyrir! Yes, I am cool. You know it! Hahaha...

Re: Takk Fyrir!

[abomvubuso]

And i've added you. You may not plan to spend much time on LJ, but oh well...

Re: Takk Fyrir!

[tri_blog]

Thank you! Added you back.

[abomvubuso]

Btw i think your precious advice about running a community would be useful for me, if you dont mind giving it of course. I promise to read the links you gave me, but i want to say from now that setting tough rules and institutionalising the way the community is being handled is against the main principle for which we founded it: "No rules".

I know that relying on ppl's conscience is an utopian idea, but we're ready go to for it. So far, we havent had major problems, probably because we dont take all this too seriously ;)

[tri_blog]

Thanks! Also, your community is small. When it grows, you will inevitably get some troublemakers. Then some of my experience may become useful.

I'm a teacher, and I see the same thing in dealing with teenagers. I have learned how to be stay both firm AND still cool and fun.

[abomvubuso]

And still they called you Mussolini ;p

Its small cos its less than a month old. Still, it includes some really nasty fellers. The reason why it was spawned originates from here:

http://kinvore.livejournal.com/364598.html
http://mahnmut.livejournal.com/91422.html
http://abomvubuso.livejournal.com/348086.html
http://community.livejournal.com/talk_politics/346.html

Basically, its initial members were ppl who were disillusioned with the increasingly authoritarian mods in a place called "politicsforum".

No appetite for drama

[tri_blog]

Sorry, but kinvore completely misrepresents me and obama_2008. That is offensive. Not interested in this issue.

[daily_rant]

I think you did a great job--and certainly a thankless one. People on the internet are kind of like people in their cars--they think they can just do things anonymously and not get called out for it. Maybe someone should start a community called "flame wars" or "pissants" or something along those lines to siphon off the folks that just love to bathe themselves in drama!

[tri_blog]

Thank you so much! ;p They already have "stupid_free" and ton of other LJ drama communities.

[abomvubuso]

I dont think such a community would be very popular. I've thought about this sometimes and i realise that people are not attracted to smth which is allowed - in this case, flaming. They'd rather attempt flaming a community with some rules, than one without such. At least thats my impression from RL.

People get turned on by the forbidden.

As for thematically formed communities...

[abomvubuso]

...i think the above-mentioned airiefairie has said it well here http://airiefairie.livejournal.com/98773.html

I also have no problem with people who are interested in politics but I do not like how it always boils down to crossing sabres with someone else's established premises, as a friend interestingly put it recently. Without being able to put a dent on them. And then retreating back to one's safe haven, the personal LJ and then ranting about it and garnering support from like-minded people calling themselves your friends just because they share one's particular bigotries.

...and...

And other communities which consist of people sharing the same political views are even worse...they look like echo chambers where your own echo is amplified by the others. I prefer not to sacrifice my positivism for the sake of someone else's gusto.

Really makes you think.

[daphnep]

Yup, I think the way the Obama_2008 community grew and managed to sustain itself (and provide good information, and good resources, and foster friendships in the process) with huge membershi--through a pretty intense time--is a really good model for new political communities.

Could have gone many different directions. It didn't. Great job.

Thank you, Daphne!

[tri_blog]

Very kind of you, and I greatly appreciate it. ;p
By the way, what kind of art work do you do?

[abomvubuso]

Btw do you still remember the words of Nkosi sikelel iAfrika? :)

[tri_blog]

Yup. :) I can still sing it.

[abomvubuso]

Including the clicks? ^__^

[tri_blog]

Yes! They are part of the fun.